Grace Said.

September has been nothing short of crazy. In fact, there were so many things going on in September that I literally have to rely on my Facebook Activity Log to recount these events. With such a hectic work and social schedule, it's no wonder this blog has not been updated since.. umm.. August.

With that, I apologize. Not only to you faithful readers, but to myself.

Because if I had all the time in the world, I would surely write about all the new gastronomical experiences I've had, significant events that had taken place, new people I've met, traveling adventures that I've experienced, and other random musings that sprout in my brain.

But no, I do not have the luxury of time. Whatever spare time I had in September was spent on Me Time; to recuperate, heal, unwind, and thoroughly separate from any brain activity whatsoever.

Now that October has come, I will try my very best to make time and update this blog. Because honestly, I have so much things to tell you guys.

So in the meantime, if you'd like to stay tune to my life updates, subscribe to me on Facebook here.

Though I've had several Bak Kut Teh meals in my gastronomic experience, I'm no Bak Kut Teh expert or connoisseur.

But I do know a bit about Bak Kut Teh. For example, there are three types of Bak Kut Teh in Singapore. The most common variant is the Teochew style, which is light in color with a peppery soup base. The Hokkien folks who prefer saltier food, uses more soy sauce resulting in a darker soup. The Cantonese, with a soup-drinking culture, adds medicinal herbs to create a stronger flavoured soup.

Regardless of the various types of Bak Kut Teh available, you will know how to differentiate a good bowl of Bak Kut Teh from an average bowl from the tenderness of the meat and tastiness of the soup.

And I must say that I've found a good and very affordable Bak Kut Teh stall tucked in a small coffeeshop along Owen Road.

老张 Bak Kut Teh
44 Owen Road
Singapore 210044

The newly opened 老张 Bak Kut Teh Stall

What the BF and I like about this Bak Kut Teh is that the meat is soft and succulent, while the soup base is tasty and not too peppery. You can say that is is a bit of a mix between the Teochew and Hokkien style of Bak Kut Teh soup base. In fact, I like it so much that I asked for another bowl of soup !

We also ordered an additional side dish - Braised Pig Trotters. Ok I am not a fan of pork but this is very delicious! The meat is tender and soft, and the gravy is tasty but not too salty.

As the stall is newly opened, the owner wanted feedback so that he can further improve his dish.

Apart from the good Bak Kut Teh and Braised Pig Trotters, what we love about this place it is very affordable. In fact, it is so affordable that you will probably not find another stall that serves $4 for a good and filling bowl of Bak Kut Teh.

And now that the monsoon season has just begun, you can warm your bellies with this very delicious hot chinese cuisine.

Today marks a special day because after 2 years, I finally took out my braces!

Contrary to what people perceive of braces, I actually enjoyed my orthodontic experience, all thanks to my Orthodontist Dr Joanne Quah from I.Dental Surgeons.

I know I have said this before but I am going to reiterate again. Dr Quah is the most gentle, amusing, and skilled dentist I've ever known. Every dentist appointment with her was an enjoyable and lighthearted session, allaying every fear and pain I had.

Days leading before the removal of my braces, I was filled with anticipation and excitement. I have been waiting for this for 2 years!

And when she finally took off the metal on my teeth, I gasped when she passed me the mirror. Finally, STRAIGHT NICE TEETH! Ahh.. the joy is so indescribable, knowing that my orthodontic journey ends today, and being amazed by the result of the treatment. Woohoo!

So after thanking Dr Quah profusely, I walked out of the clinic and took a picture without my braces. There you go, a picture showing my joy and straight teeth!

About 5 to 7 years ago, I gave the BF a Timex Ironman watch which lasted until September 2012. Determined that he should not go watch-less, I decided to buy another watch as an early birthday present.

PS: Well his birthday is actually in 2 months, but I decided what the heck, I can't wait that long. And also, I needed some retail therapy.

So after my consideration and deliberation, I finally chose this Seiko watch as my gift to him.

As there was a wide range of watches available in the shop, I chose this Seiko Men's SNDC89 Black Stainless-Steel Quartz Watch with Black Dial as it was the only watch which caught my eye. Classy yet inexpensive, I bought it without much hesitation. The helpful shopkeeper was also generous enough to give a good discount. How nice of him!

As I bought it without his knowledge and presence, I was actually pretty stressed that he might not like the watch. But aha, he likes it! However, it took him some getting used to because the watch hands were smaller than his previous one. Other than that, he was wearing it #likeaboss and glancing at it from time to time (pun intended).

On most mornings, the alarm clock would ring first, and minutes after, my household will resound with the short outburst of loud "ah-choo!" followed by the blowing of nose (or noses, depending if mom is still at home).

Apparently, this condition is called Allergic Rhinitis - a group of symptoms affecting the nose. These symptoms occur when you breathe in something you are allergic to, such as dust, dander, insect venom, or pollen. When a person with allergic rhinitis breathes in an allergen such as pollen or dust, the body releases chemicals, including histamine. This causes allergy symptoms e.g. Itchy nose (mouth, eyes, throat, skin, or any area), Problems with smell, Runny nose, Sneezing, Tearing eyes.

While there are medications available to help relieve the symptoms of runny nose and nasal stuffiness (i.e. decongestants and anti-histamines), we prefer to avoid taking pills or sprays wherever possible. But if the sneeze attacks gets out of hand, and by that I mean at least 5 sneezes per minute, then we will pop our all time favorite miracle pill - Clarinase 24hr.

Then one day, I stumbled across a very interesting product at Guardian called the Nasal Allergy Reliever ($49.90).

This Guardian Nasal Allergy Reliever is compact yet functional, and works by emitting two specific light wavelengths into the nasal cavity. One of them works by promoting blood circulation, thus reducing the build-up of histamines that causes the allergy symtoms. The second light wavelength suppresses the cells that release histamine and thus reduces inflammation.

Pretty cool huh!

Then again, the counter suff did mention that this works for some, but there are a handful of people who says that it doesn't work.

Regardless, I bought it out anyway, and tried it out as soon as my usual sneeze attack starts.
My verdict? IT WORKS! Best of all, it doesn't hurt at all!

All in all, it is a cute and functional little gadget but makes you look a little funny because your nose lights up in red when the lightwaves are being emitted. So the best place to use it is when you're at home, and probably with your doors locked.